were　farther　up　the　stream　preparing　nine　floating　bridges。　The　two　Leaders　of　the　Van；　Xiahou　Ba　and　Xiahou　Wei；　were　ordered　to　cross　the　river　and　camp；　and　in　rear　of　the　main　camp　on　the　east　a　solid　earth　rampart　was　raised　to　guard　against　any　surprises　from　the　rear。

While　these　preparations　were　in　progress；　Guo　Huai　and　Sun　Li　came　to　the　new　camp。

Guo　Huai　said；　〃With　the　troops　of　Shu　at　Qishan；　there　is　a　possibility　of　their　dominating　River　Wei；　going　up　on　the　plain；　and　pushing　out　a　line　to　the　northern　hills　whereby　to　cut　off　all　highways　in　the　West　Valley　Land。〃

〃You　say　well；〃　said　Sima　Yi。　〃See　to　it。　Take　mand　of　all　the　West　Valley　Land　forces；　occupy　Beiyuan；　and　make　a　fortified　camp　there。　But　adopt　a　defensive　policy。　Wait　till　the　enemy's　food　supplies　get　exhausted　before　you　think　of　attack。〃

So　Guo　Huai　and　Sun　Li　left　to　carry　out　these　orders。

Meanwhile　Zhuge　Liang　made　five　main　camps　at　Qishan；　and　between　Xie　Valley　and　Saber　Pass　he　established　a　line　of　fourteen　large　camps。　He　distributed　the　troops　among　these　camps　as　for　a　long　campaign。　He　appointed　inspecting　officers　to　make　daily　visits　to　see　that　all　was　in　readiness。

When　he　heard　that　the　army　of　Wei　had　camped　in　Beiyuan；　he　said　to　his　officers；　〃They　camp　there　fearing　that　our　holding　this　area　will　sever　connection　with　West　Valley　Land。　I　am　pretending　to　look　toward　Beiyuan；　but　really　my　objective　is　River　Wei。　I　am　going　to　build　a　hundred　or　more　large　rafts　and　pile　them　with　straw；　and　I　have　five　thousand　of　marines　to　manage　them。　In　the　darkness　of　the　night　I　shall　attack　Beiyuan。　Sima　Yi　will　e　to　the　rescue。　If　he　is　only　a　little　worsted；　I　shall　cross　the　river　with　the　rear　divisions；　then　the　leading　div